The Devil You Know
by Miras-Dragonfly
Summary: Slightly AU, SEPH/AER pairing. What if Sephiroth never went to Niebelheim and didn't find out about Jenova? Read and review my spin on the subject! ^_^
1. Chapter 1: Darkness

The Devil You Know 

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DISCLAIMER: Everything but the author and her sad obsession with *see her mouth the word: Sephiroth* FF7, belong to Squaresoft. You can easily spot, and avoid original characters by spider-sence. If you're not equipped with one.. see if I care. *makes her 'I'm-so-not-caring' face* ^_^

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'm still very much in the process of writing my epic 'Pieces of Us', but I felt like posting the first chapter of this little ficcy anyway. This one's built around an idea I had one night on a walk. What would've happened, if Sephiroth had never gone to Niebelheim? I added a few twists to the cocktail (I suppose that makes this an AU fic?) and tadaa, witness the result. The story begins where the game begun, only Niebelheim's tragic events never took place. Seph never found out about Jenova. Oh and beware: being the evil mastermind that I am, I enjoy planning big crazy plots. Especially such that involve Aer/Seph romance. So despite what you may read in the first chapters of this story, theirs is the pairing I truly support. ^_^ Please feed the review-hungry teenager! *points at herself with both index fingers*

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CHAPTER 1.

The same loneliness that closes us  
opens us again.  
Like hair loosened by the sea,  
slowly the darkness opens into darkness.

- Anne Michaels -

Aeris Gainsborough sat alone on a wooden bench, leaning casually against it's metallic armrest. Her left hand held onto a small basket filled with yellow flowers, placed next to her on the vacant space of the bench. Her emerald green eyes swept over the flowers in a protective manner, a warm smile spreading across her lips. Everyone had told her it was impossible to grow flowers in the slums. But for some reason, the rare wildflowers had thrived in her care. Aeris had planted them all over the front yard of her house, and she kept a private flowerbed in an abandoned church as well. Taking care of them was hard work at times, but it was very rewarding too. Aeris' heart leapt of joy every time a flower forced it's way out of the dark soil to meet the rays of sun. It reminded her, not everything was lost. Even in the slums, where the poor lived their lives forgotten and uncared for, there was hope. And beaty.

Gently brushing her fingertips against the silky smooth petals of her flowers, Aeris turned her eyes to the scenery spreading from where she sat. Tall buildings rose vertically up, to meet the dense carpet of grey that hung on the Midgar sky. Pieces of old newspapers, butts of cigarettes and tattered leaves rolled in the gutter, pushed ahead by muddy rainwater. Every now and then a car rushed past, splattering the water to the dark pavement of the pedestrian street. The streetlamps that stood in a neat row, followed the side of the gutter. They cast circles of amber coloured light in the darkening evening. Aeris frowned at the sight. Everything was concrete and stone, emotionless and sterile. An air of loneliness surrounded the city that was a home for millions. Aeris felt if there ever was a place that needed hope, Midgar was it. And a part of her wasn't too upset at the prospect of pocket money, either.

Crossing her legs at the knees, Aeris dusted her long pink dress. She loved her job, but tonight was hardly the best weather for selling flowers. The cool wind carried promises of rain, as it travelled the vacant streets, pulling at the hem of Aeris' dress as it passed. A shiver ran through her body, and she rubbed her arms to keep the cold at bay. Only moments later the rain begun again, and a grateful sigh passed Aeris' lips as she glanced up. The tin roof that was stretched over the bench, sheltered her from the rain. Thank god that luxury, she thought, getting wet on top of being cold was not something her heart desired for tonight. Aeris decided to wait for the rain to seize before returning to the trainstation to catch the next train for the slums. Casting a glance at the eerie-looking old clocktower looming in the distance, Aeris could see the elegantly designed hands of the tower's clock pointed at two minutes past seven.

Pulling her feet up on the bench, Aeris watched a few people pace past her on the opposite side of the street, covering under their dark-coloured umbrellas. The poaring rain sounded like a gentle hum, highlighted by the waterdrops that drummed the tin roof Aeris was sitting under. The pavement glistened black with the water, reflecting the light the street lamps shone like uneven mirrors. Realizing the rain wasn't about to stop anytime soon, Aeris stood up and picked up her basket. Carrying it in the crook of her arm, Aeris decided to make a run for the trainstation. The last train would leave at eight, and she didn't want to stay on Midgars upper level for the night. Weird people moved around here in the dark; she'd had her fair share of experiences in that area. Living in Midgar turned most people dead inside, since it attracted the worst kind of scum. SOLDIER's were forced to patrol the streets on regular basis, but in spite of that more murders and muggings took place in Midgar than in the rest of the world all together. Turning her back at the bench, a peculiar sight met Aeris' gaze.

A man was walking in the rain. Unlike the others who hid their faces under their umbrellas, dodging each other as they scurried onward, this man walked with a confident stride. Carrying his tall body in perfect posture, he stood out from the crowd like a spot of brilliant colour in a world of greyness. Aeris tilted her head gently as she followed his every move with her eyes. He was dressed entirely in black, and carried an intimidatingly long, narrow bladed sword on his hip. As he moved, the air currents made his long leather coat sway behind him like a cape. Without warning, the man suddenly stopped in mid-stride, as though sencing someone's gaze upon him. His eyes soon settled on Aeris, and returned her scrutinizing stare across the open space.

He was soaking wet, and the long bangles of his silvery hair fell down the sides of his head and back. He had large, ovial shaped eyes, that were of a unique shade of pasific green. Highlighted with the most intense glow of Mako Aeris had ever seen, his eyes were alluring. After an impossibly long while, the man lifted his face to meet the raindrops that fell down as a steady hum. Aeris watched in awe, as he closed his eyes and allowed the drops to explode against his pale skin, tracing the delicate contours of his face as they fell. In the faint light of the street lamps, the raindrops glittered like tears on his skin.

Aeris had never seen anything as beautiful.

Staring back at Aeris again, his face remained neutral and expressionless. However, she could see how fast his mind was processing thoughts. Before Aeris could shoot her best friendly smile at the stranger, he turned on his feet and continued walking away. Out of an impulse Aeris ran after him, into the rain. Quickly crossing the street Aeris failed to notice a car almost ran her over. Forcing her way through the crowd, Aeris kept her eyes locked to the stragers back. Quickly she caught up with him, struggling to keep up with his long stride.

"What do you want." The man growled in a low, warning voice just as Aeris' fingers had reached up to touch his arm.

"N-nothing." Aeris stammered, pulling back her hand. Now that she was facing the man and had his total attention, she had no idea what to say. They both stood silent in the rain, and Aeris could feel the water seeping in through the flimsy fabric of her dress. She was trembling like a leaf, not the least due to the menacing appearance of her companion.

"Just leave me alone." The man grunted, turning his back at Aeris again.

"Hey.. Do you want to buy a flower?" Aeris worried at her lower lip, as the man turned to look at her once more. There was no mistaking the irritation on his face, but she felt a deep sence of loneliness radiating from him too. 

"Didn't I just tell you to scram?" He spoke again, towering in front of the significantly shorter woman.

"It's only a gil.." Aeris fidgeted, staring deep into the deep pools of Mako that were his eyes. She didn't know the reason for the uneasiness she was feeling. Usually Aeris was rather confident in the company of men. But not tonight, and certainly not with this particular man. Aeris found herself thinking, what his name was. She picked up a yellow flower to hand out, but as she lifted her gaze, the black-clad man was already walking away. How rude, Aeris thought, but couldn't bring herself to be angry at him. What did you expect, she scolded herself, out here it was a rule of survival not to get involved with casual acquantances. A rule she herself, had never been able to follow.

Breaking her trance like state, Aeris ran to the shelter of a entrance hall to an office building. She stood there a moment, quivering in the cold. Desperately rubbing her arms, Aeris didn't hear the footsteps behind her until a pair of strong, warm arms slid around her waist.

"Hi baby." A husky voice whispered in her ear.

"Hi Zack." Aeris felt like rolling her eyes, but instead a giggle spewed out of her mouth. "What's up?" She asked, turning to face her boyfriend.

Zack was only slightly taller than Aeris, and had hazel coloured eyes and ebony black hair, that stood out in wild, untamed spikes. He was now dressed in his purple battle uniform, his broadsword securely in place on his back. A warm smile lit up Aeris' weary expression at the sight of him. He was sweet, and always very nice to her. The dictionary defenition of a perfect boyfriend.

"There's been a report of AVALANCHE members skulking about Reactor number 2, We're assigned to check it out since the General signed off duty already." Zack explained with enthusiasm in his voice, and pointed towards a small group of men in the distance. They were standing around, waiting for their commander to return from the soaked flowergirl.

"Oh dear. I think I just saw him." Aeris' eyes widened in realization. She had actually talked with the man who had lead the war to Wutai. Somehow she had imagined him bigger in muscles; the natural intelligence in his eyes had given her the first impression of a scientist of sorts.

"Really?" Zack reeled, studying Aeris' surprised expression. He was obviously waiting for an explanation, just like any other irrationally jealous boyfriend would.

"Yeah, I tried to sell him flowers but.. he wasn't interested." Aeris tried to hide the shiver of disappointment underlying in her voice, but to no avail. She had never been good at hiding her emotions, and Zack had the uncanny ability to read her like a book. The result of a long term relationship I guess, Aeris frowned.

"You should stay away from him. The guy has.. issues." Zack warned as an uneasy look flashed over his face. 

"Issues?" Aeris asked him.

"Like.. he's in an imminent need of anger management courses." Zack joked, and grinned victoriously at the smile that spread on Aeris' features. That sure sounded like the man she had met earlier, Aeris thought. "But he's a great boss. And you shouldn't bother your pretty little head about it." Zack laughed. Like always, he turned every serious conversation into a laughing matter.

Sometimes it had annoyed Aeris, but tonight she found his attitude only spirit lifting. "Yeah.. He just had the most haunted eyes I've ever seen.." Aeris confessed with a sheepish grin. Talking about another man with her boyfriend was to say the least, awkward. Zack had a strong jealous streak in him, probably due to the fact he had once been a regular ladies' man himself. Strangely enough, he didn't seem the least bit concearned when it came to Sephiroth. Why was that, Aeris bit her lip, the SOLDIER General was certainly more attractive than the Wall Market Inn's clerk they'd met last week. Zack had seriously given her the third degree on the short blond-haired man, just because Aeris had exchanged a few friendly words with him.

"He'd bite your head off should you say that to his face!!" Zack burst into laughter.

Aeris sighed in defeat, admitting it would be best to drop the whole subject of Sephiroth, the SOLDIER General for tonight. It wasn't like she'd ever meet him again, anyway.. Midgar was a huge city. Some would say, a universe of it's own. Two people could live their entire lives there and never meet each other.

"Look hun, gotta go now. I'll catch ya later at Elmyra's OK?" Zack pressed a quick kiss on Aeris' cheek, before taking a step back to leave her company.

Clasping the handle of her flower basket with both hands, Aeris smiled at her boyfriend. "I'll.. see you then." She nodded, a happy sparkle in her eyes.

Zack waved his hand goodbye, shooting a loving smile in Aeris' direction. She returned it with a giggle, but as the form of him dissappeared behind a corner her gaze sunk back to the ground. With a heavy heart, Aeris turned on her heels and headed for the trainstation. Walking ahead with several overlapping thoughts in her mind, Aeris wished she could open her heart and soul to Zack. He was everything she wanted in a boyfriend. Everyone approved of him, even her adopted mother Elmyra who had been warning Aeris of SOLDIER's throughout her adolescence. Why was it then, his confessions of love only made her feel awkward? Aeris knew she cared for Zack, but was she in love with him? The question hanging heavy in the air, Aeris heaved a sigh to recollect her thoughts. She had a train to catch, after all.

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After unlocking the door to his one bedroom flat, Sephiroth dropped his keys on top of the large, beechen drawer next to the entrance. After pushing the door shut, he discarded his black knee-high boots, and hung his leather coat up on the cast-iron hatstand standing nearby the door. After clipping loose his Masamune tugged snuggly inside it's sheath, Sephiroth set it gently to the hooks attached to a wall. Other beatifully ornamented weaponry hung on the walls in a similar fashion. Sweeping his eyes over his apartment, they settled to the display case next to a bookshelve. Through the glass doors, several trophies and medals could be seen. They were all covered in dust. Some silver cups had darkened asphalt grey due to lack of polishing.

"Home sweet home." Sephiroth said bitterly, and a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

The spacious, sparsely furnitured flat had never felt like a home to him. Touches of life like an abandoned coffee mug from breakfast and the morning's newspaper lay on the kitched table. But without them, it would be anyone's first impression that no-one had taken up permanent residence there. The floor was bare, grey concrete, and the walls painted in a sterile white emitted cold like a warehouse. No paintings hung on the walls, no family photos were scattered on the bookshelves. Sephiroth walked across the bare floor in his black socks, not making a sound as he moved. The whole apartment was eerily silent.

Sephiroth stepped into the kitched, that was spotlessly clean. He opened one of the glass doors of the kitched cupboards, and pulled out a wine glass. Placing it waiting on top of the sink, he reached for the bottle of red wine he kept hidden in the corner cupboard. Pulling it out, Sephiroth noticed the green bottle was still nearly full. A pleased smile flashed on his face, but his eyes never lost their dull glow. Popping the cork open, Sephiroth then made his way back into the living room. In the corner of the room, a metal-coloured floorlamp stood still, sheading light around the shadows. Sephiroth made his way to it, stopping to rest the glass and the wine bottle on top of a coffee table made of glass and metal. Black, sleek looking leather couches surrounded the table. Sephiroth sat down on the closest one of them with a heavy sigh, reaching across the small space to poar himself a glass full of wine. This was an almost daily routine to him now, and he found himself reassuming the comfortable position against the back of the couch. The smooth leather felt nice against his bare skin, as it warmed up at the touch of his body.

Almost like another person, Sephiroth thought, quickly shrugging off the thought. He sipped at his wine, relishing the taste, and then turned his gaze at the scenery spreading from the main window. The thin, cream white linen curtains were pulled to the sides, revealing a view of the nocturnal Midgar. Darkness of night blurred the outlines of skyscrapers, and the lights shining through the windows of offices seemed to hover in mid air like fireflies on top of a meadow. Down below Sephiroth could see neonsigns flashing in red and green, and the beams of passing cars' headlights danced over the white ceiling of his home. Sephiroth finished his drink and put down the glass, letting the back of his head rest against the black leather of his couch. A beam of light travelled across the ceiling, and Sephiroth's eyes followed it intensely like it was intruding his privacy.

Turning his head ever so gently, Sephiroth saw a red light flickering in his answering machine. He stood up and marched to the beechen drawer, on top of which his keys lay. As his fingers reached out to press the 'play' button on the black machine, Sephiroth shot a glance at the mirror positioned on the wall, just above the drawers surface. His inexpressive eyes stared back at himself through the reflection. A sence of numbness settled in Sephiroth's heart, and he welcomed it. "You have.. one new message." A mechanic voice purred through the answering machine's speakers. Even as a sharp beep told Sephiroth the message was about to begin, he made his way towards his bedroom, instictively knowing it would not be anything worth paying much attention to. Still, the trained SOLDIER in Sephiroth refused to delete any messages before listening to them.

"Hi, it's Silky here." The soft voice of a woman begun insecurely.

Sephiroth groaned at her voice, and paced past the kitchen to the open door leading to his bedroom. The lonely double-bed positioned under a window looked inviting, the covers pulled aside to reveal the black satin sheets. The end of the bed was of dark, polished wood, that arched on top of the pillows in an elegant manner. On both sides of the bed were nightstands. On the left one, lay an open book and an empty glass of water. On the other side, a table lamp stood unlit.

"I waited two hours in that rathole you call an apartment, and you never showed up. You're an ass." The woman's voice scolded through the loud-speakers, badly concealed anger in her voice.

Sephiroth just walked to the large closet in his bedroom, pulling both the wooden doors open to inspect the clothing left on the metallic hangers. He picked a black silken shirt, throwing it casually on.

"And don't think I won't charge you for wasting my time. Call me, alright?" The woman finished with a sigh, and ended her phonecall. A silence settled back into the apartment after the answering machine announced there were no more messages.

Sephiroth didn't bother buttoning up his shirt, but instead made his way to a bedside table, pulling open the drawer. He met the familiar sight of a handgun with a silver handle. In a loving manner, Sephiroth wound his fingers around the handle, enjoying the feel of the gun. He then used his free hand to push the drawer closed again, and left the bedroom with look of grim determination on his face.

Entering the living room again, Sephiroth paced slowly to the large drawer and pulled open the middle drawer. It contained among other things a white envelope, which he picked up. His fingertips traced it's edges, as he pushed the drawer shut again. It made a subdued thump as it closed, after which Sephiroth spent a moment just watching the envelope he held in his hand. There was no adressee marked to it. Sephiroth wasn't sure why he'd taken the time to write the letter. A part of him accepted there was no-one left to write to. The other part of him just screamed at the injustice. Calmly blinking, Sephiroth turned his back at the drawer and returned to his favourite spot on the couch. He let go of the gun and envelope, to poar himself another glass of wine. With a tilt of the glass, the crimson red liquid flowed past his lips and down his throat.

Sephiroth's pasific green eyes were drawn to the scenery spreading from the window. The cold northern breeze that ran on the midgarian streets had scattered the heavy layer of grey clouds, revealing sections of the night sky. The moon was full, and though hidden from view, it's shimmering glow echoed off the ash grey remnants of clouds the wind couldn't disperse. Sephiroth stared at the moon, and at a few flickering stars he could make out through the bright lights of the city, his gaze wistful and sad. The pale surface of his skin drank in the moonlight, while his ears consentrated on listening to the steady beat of his heart and the humming of blood coursing through his veins. Drawing in a deep breath, Sephiroth reached for his gun. With a practised movement, he removed the clip and checked for ammunition. One bullet. Casting a glance at the white envelope, he pushed the clip back in and flicked the safety catch off. Letting go of the gun for a moment, Sephiroth lifted the envelope up, supporting it against the half empty wine bottle. Perfect, he smirked in his cold, trademark way. Leaning back against the leather of the couch, Sephiroth rewound his fingers around the handle of the gun, his index finger gently positioned against the trigger. Heavy bangles of hair that framed his face, overshadowed his eyes that held nothing but weariness and pain.

The phone rang. Sephiroth turned his head, but made no move to pick up the receiver. The answering machine beeped as it sprung into action. Sephiroth's ears caught the end of the message he had recorded to the answering machine. "I'm not home, leave a message.." His voice sounded nonchalant and cold.

"Hey, wonderboy!" A bright voice spoke over the connection. "Pick up the phone, it's urgent." The man continued in a slightly more serious tone.

Sephiroth's gaze fell to the gun in his hand, and he watched vacantly as his fingers retreated from the silver handle, and flicked the safety catch back on. Abandoning the gun to the coffee table, Sephiroth stood up and paced to the phone.

"What is it?" He snapped at the voice on the line.

"Truce!" The man laughed, and Sephiroth could almost hear the smug grin that had settled on the mans face. 

"The AVALANCHE have struck again. And the President is getting annoyed, he want's the best of the best on this." A hint of admiration could be heard from the man's voice, as he kept talking. Sephiroth just listened quietly at his summary of the events that had occurred just moments ago.

"You'd better make this go away, or else he's posting all our buts somewhere on the Northern Continent. And freezing to death ain't my idea of a career move, if you get my meaning." The man ended the phone-call.

Sephiroth held the receiver to his ear, listening to the empty line. A look of irritation flashed on his face, but quickly he shifted back into the comfortable role of a SOLDIER General. He walked to the coffee table, and picked up the white envelope still laying there. With a newly discovered resolve Sephiroth tore the letter into shreds, and then dropped the pieces to a waste-paper basket hidden between the large drawer and his writing desk. Sephiroth grabbed his sword, clipping it back on. His thoughts revolving around this new mission, Sephiroth grabbed his leather coat and boots, and got dressed. Quickly he snatched his keys from on top of the drawer, shoving them to the pocket of his black slacks before opening the door and stepping out into the hallway. The door fell closed behind him, the air currents making a piece of the shredded letter whirl on the concrete floor. Two words written in beautiful, gently tilted handwriting were visible on the small patch of paper; 'Forgive me'. A draft threw the paper under the couch, to huddle against it's metallic leg.

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I had my doubts about this chapter, no actually this story in total, so some major revising took place with it. For like ten times before I posted this. ^_^ Ah, well. Since this is the first chapter, I'd love to hear your comments? So please do the feedback thing! I know there wasn't much romance yet, but trust me, the melodrama will come. Urgh, this one I hate but it must be said: since I'm still pretty busy with Pieces of Us (Last chapters!! Yikes!!) I'm sure it'll take a while before the next update. I'll try to work extra fast, but I can't make any promises. *winces* Sorry!!


	2. Chapter 2: Revelations

The Devil You Know 

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DISCLAIMER: I don't own the FF7-verse, it belongs to Squaresoft. *pouts very disappointed*

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Ooh, so many pretty reviews! *beams* I'm so glad you've liked what you've read so far, since I was really unsure about publishing this story. But moving on now: I figured you'd like to know more about THAT letter.. And believe it or not, I have a reason for being annoyingly mysterious about everything. Really. *smirks* Well, I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter! (I sure put a lot of work into it!)

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CHAPTER 2.

We pictured the meek mild creatures where  
they dwelt in their strawy pen,  
nor did it occur to one of us there  
To doubt they were kneeling then.

- Thomas Hardy -

The air was thick with black smoke that stung Sephiroth's eyes. Pieces of charred metal lay everywhere, still burning hot from the intense heat of an explosion. Lifting his gaze from the stone paved road, Sephiroth saw a gaping hole in the side of a Mako reactor's dome. Angry flames rose from inside the building like the slender necks of a many-headed dragon, stretching out to the night sky. A dark column of smoke ascended from the ruins, curling to the wind. The sparks that danced around it looked like butterflies that had caught fire; helplessly fluttering to oblivion.

From where Sephiroth stood, one could see the exposed core of the reactor, and the liquid Mako that dribbled through the cracks in it's concrete jacket. Chunks of metal hurled by the explosion had sliced open the dense metallic casings of pipes, and cut bundles of electric wires and cables into half. The exposed wires still shot sparks; nobody had cut off the electricity yet. Aside from the sirens of ambulances and firetrucks, sector two of Midgar was shrouded in ghostly silence. Cars lay abandoned on the sides of the main street, which curved around a tall skyscraper, as though to avoid the burning reactor.

A delicate breeze blew in Sephiroth's ears, pulling at the ends of his hair. He continued to stand motionless in the curve of the street, facing the reactors shadowy silhouette. The silvery bangles of his hair whirled in the wind like snakes that had lifted their heads at the scent of prey. Sephiroth's eyes narrowed in concentration, as he turned around slowly and swept his gaze over the surroundings.

Across the street was a small diner. A blue neonsign was attached to the wall above it's entrance, and it wrote 'Sheryl's Diner' in a big, loopy font. The building looked like a huge fish-tank; soft light was streaming out through a set of large windows. Sephiroth could see a few customers seated around a bar-table that stretched from a corner of the interior to the entrance, facing the windows. He felt a sudden thirst for a cup of coffee, as he realized he hadn't had time to have one since his breakfast. A steaming hot cup of black coffee with two pieces of sugar.. Nothing was better than that on a cold Midgar night. He could recall the times at the beginning of his career, when he'd ended a night of patrolling the streets to a coffee-break at an old, little café that had most likely been closed for years now. Strange, how quickly things changed. Back then, being a SOLDIER had felt so important. Through his strength and skills, Sephiroth had been awarded the approval he so desperately needed. And now, he only felt ashamed of his behaviour back then. Why should he grovel at the feet of those who were inferior to him? It hardly made any sence. Sephiroth gritted his teeth, drawing his attention back to the situation at hand.

On both sides of the diner stood tall apartment buildings with gloomy silhouettes. Statues of monsters grew out of the rugged stone walls, and the frames of windows arched sharply at the top. The Gothic style buildings looked like relics from an era that would never come again. Finishing his quick scan of the area, Sephiroth shifted his eyes to a leaflet he had snatched from a local bulletin board a few blocks away. The green paper had felt the effects of time and rain, but the large, black letters on it's surface were still visible. "Shin-Ra's reactors are sucking up the lifeblood of this planet, and we the AVALANCHE have decided to form a battlefront against them. We'll use whatever means necessary to stop this gross misuse of earth's resources--" As Sephiroth had finished reading the short text below the tittle: "Fight Shin-Ra Inc. for a better future", he let out a snort of contempt and crumpled the paper in his hands. The ball of green paper fell down to the pavement, bouncing gently before rolling into a puddle of muddy water.

Sephiroth began tracing the dull looking stonewall edging his side of the street. His footsteps echoed loudly as he walked, loose sand grinding under the soles of his boots. He knew the reactor wasn't much further. As an experienced SOLDIER Sephiroth knew every alley and street of Midgar. This was the place at which he'd received his basic training, and it was on these streets that he had taken his first life. He could still remember that night, like it had happened only yesterday. Sephiroth had been on a routine patrol with his unit, when they had ran into a gang. Most of his team had been wiped out in a matter of minutes, but him the ordinary criminals hadn't managed to touch. Their leader was a young man with deep green eyes and black hair, and his face had been smudged in dirt. Sephiroth still remembered the way he had coughed blood as the Masamune's blade had pierced his lung. And the man hadn't die right away, it took him a long while. The other members of the gang soon ran away, and left Sephiroth alone, to watch as the man he had fought with bled to death in his feet. Sephiroth remembered his superiors promoted him soon after that incident.

Lifting his gaze from the pavement still glistening with rainwater, Sephiroth counted the bodies lined up in a neat row against a building next to the reactors main entrance. There were eleven of them, all covered under white sheets. A revolting stench of burning flesh attacked Sephiroth's nostrils as he passed by the victims of the attack, but he just cast a nonchalant look at a hand that stretched out from under a sheet. It had burned black. Sephiroth blinked, and averted his eyes from the corpses.

SOLDIERs had probably assisted in carrying the bodies out of the reactors rubble, he thought, recalling the brief description of this assignment he'd gotten over the phone.

"A unit of SOLDIERs is already on the premises. Report to their unit leader ASAP, I'm sure he can fill you in on everything better than I can," the man had informed Sephiroth, "They'll also be assisting you on this mission so be nice, OK?"

Sephiroth hadn't replied, but the man had continued talking anyway. There had hardly been a need for that remark, for Sephiroth knew how to do his job. This was just another assignment which he would complete with or without the help of others. But then what? Sometimes the question troubled him more than he liked to admit.

Ever since he returned from the war against Wutai, he had felt different, somehow. Everything he'd seen there and the things he'd been forced to do for the sake of victory, had changed him. Sephiroth still remembered his awkwardness during the long vacation he'd been awarded with after the peace-declarations. How he had flinched at every sound and passer-by, his fingers automatically searching for the handle of his sword. And how he had spent hours just washing his hands, with steaming hot water that burned his skin, trying to remove the bloodstains that only existed in his mind.

Every night he went to bed fearing the nightmares that always came; always the same. Memories of his past taunting him, the voices of his victims, whispering incoherent words. Obscure messages. They sought revenge, unable to rest for as long as he was still breathing. And as much as he wanted to think he felt no remorse, Sephiroth was hardly a machine. He knew their faces would haunt him for the rest of his natural life. Their pleading eyes, tear-gazed and wide with fright. On more than one occasion, Sephiroth had picked up his gun and held it to his temple, wanting to pull the trigger. Waiting for the release.

Just holding the gun brought him some semblance of peace, or comfort. He needed to know he was still in control, that he could end the pain when it became too much to bear. Last night was the first time he'd written a letter though, and he'd kept it hidden in his drawer for the day. Perhaps that meant he really wanted to die. No, Sephiroth felt a pang in his heart at that, some stubborn part of him was still fighting it. The part that refused to give up. He didn't long for death, but sometimes the voices became too loud, the ache in his heart too violent. Sometimes he just wanted it to end, for the time to stop and the emotions to dissappear. To forget and remain forgotten.

But then the sun would rise, and the first rays of morning would chase away the ghosts of the past. In bright daylight Sephiroth could subdue the voices and lock all the painful memories into little well-organized boxes inside his head. It took a lot of his energy, but during the day Sephiroth was able to refrain from feeling, from remembering. Buried under a big flat stone, all those things - the darkness and the pain and the guilt - were all neatly hidden from view.

But the night would inevetably turn over that stone and reveal the squirming world under it. The very things he'd struggled his whole life to forget.. or deny. In his dreams, Sephiroth enjoyed the killing. He yerned for it like nourishment. He'd ram the blade of his sword through a victim and laugh, exhilerated. When waking up the next morning, his skin would be covered in a thin layer of cold sweat and he could pretend it hadn't really been him, that the dreams didn't hold any meaning. He could deny the hatred that had been brewing inside of him since the day he was discharged from the warfront. He could tell himself, the slaughtering of countless people hadn't given him pleasure. Sometimes it seemed like there were two Sephiroths, both fighting it out for the control of his traitorous body. One who wanted to believe he was no different from everyone else, and another who had already accepted what his stubborn heart refused to believe. That he wasn't in fact, a human at all. Not anymore, anyway. Sephiroth shook his head, derailing that achingly familiar train of thoughts. He had to concentrate on this mission; there was no time for anything else now.

Quickly making his way to the main entrance of the reactor, Sephiroth saw that the cast-iron gates hanging heavy on their hinges, had already been pulled aside. Two SOLDIER's in blue uniforms stood in guard on both sides of the front gate, and they saluted Sephiroth as he walked in past them. The gate revealed a small courtyard that lead to one of the low, box-shaped buildings surrounding the reactors dome. The wall on the left from Sephiroth, was hidden under several layers of pipes and wires. At the junction of some of them, was a big steelen tank. Another blue-uniformed SOLDIER struggled to turn the valve in it's surface.

"Would someone please turn off the goddamn Mako already!?" A woman's voice yelled from behind Sephiroth.

He spun around, and watched as the woman strode quickly past the guards. Her hair was of radiant ruby colour, that matched the wine-shaded glow of her eyes. She was dressed in a yellow firefighter's uniform, and she carried her helmet by the neck strap.

"I'm working on it, Miss Rhea." The SOLDIER she had addressed begore grunted, and glanced at the woman before continuing his useless attempts at turning the valve.

"You!" Miss Rhea suddenly spun around to face Sephiroth. "Help him, willya!" She pleaded, waving her hand in the SOLDIER's direction.

"It's not my responsibility." Sephiroth crossed his arms over his chest, turning his eyes away in irritation. He was supposed to be looking for the unit-leader, not chat with someone who wasn't even a member of SOLDIER.

"We can't enter the reactor for as long as there's a risk of getting showered with Mako!" The woman looked straight at Sephiroth, while tapping her foot impatiently. He didn't respond to her words in any way. "Geez, there might still be people inside! We're wasting time, and quite possibly lives!" The woman raised her voice a notch, her brow furrowed in anger. Sephiroth just looked at her coldly.

"They're already dead.." He spoke.

"You don't know that." The woman's eyes flashed defiantly, before she turned on her heels and marched over to the SOLDIER to assist him.

"S-Sir!" A fourth SOLDIER ran over to Sephiroth, and saluted him nervously. "Harper Reilly reporting to duty, Sir!" He fidgeted, clutching a standard issue riffle in his hands. Sephiroth only glanced at the man briefly, before shifting his gaze to the fire still raging inside the main building of the reactor complex. A part of the dome collapsed inside with a loud bang, feeding air to the flames that were slowly devouring the building. Smaller fires had started in buildings spread around the dome, but most of them had been extinguished. Sephiroth's vertical pupils drew in the amber coloured light the flames cast.

"So who's in charge here?" He asked, his eyes never returning to the trooper.

"That would be Zack Lacerta, Sir." The man answered quickly.

"Oh." Sephiroth replied, staring at the destroyed reactor. This close to the fire, he could sence the heat emitted by the flames. It was a tingly feeling just beneath his skin.

"Take me to him then, I have orders to start the investigations." Sephiroth told the trooper in a demanding voice, and the man nodded.

"Sure. I-I mean, yes Sir!" He responded, and began leading the way. Sephiroth paced calmly behind him, noticing the glare the red-headed firefighter shot in his direction. She was still trying to turn the valve. Some people never give up, Sephiroth sighed.

"Right this way, Sir!" The trooper, Reilly, said in an enthusiastic voice, as he ran up a set of stairs to a red-painted, fire-proof door. "If you don't mind my asking, Sir.. You know Zack, don't you? It's just that he's always bragging about knowing you." The trooper asked.

"We've worked together a few times." Sephiroth nodded unaffected. Reilly seemed satisfied with that answer, for he opened the fire-proof door without asking for any further details. He entered the long corridor behind the door, and waited at the entrance for Sephiroth to follow.

On both sides of the narrow corridor, were doors that had square-shaped metal plates screwed to their surface. Engraved in each plate was a three-digit series of numbers. Sephiroth could only guess, what the numbers meant. He lifted his gaze from Reilly's back, and half-heartedly counted the rows of fluorescent lamps placed on the ceiling. After not having slept properly in over 24 hours, the brightness of them stung his eyes painfully. Over the muffled thumps of his footsteps, Sephiroth could hear the electric humming of the air-conditioning vents. After a few minutes of haste walking, he saw a lobby opened up from the end of the corridor.

"Where is that Reilly guy? I know he was only recently transferred from military school but.. How long can it take for him to carry out one simple task?" A male voice spoke, and Sephiroth instantly recognized it as Zack's. 

Sephiroth had perfect memory, and he never forgot a face - nor voice - of a person he had once worked with. Some would consider such a talent a gift, but to Sephiroth it was more like a curse. Colleagues were not the only people whose faces were etched to his brain, his victims were there too.

"I wish the firefighters would put out the fires already.. It'll be too dark soon to search for any evidence." Zack continued.

"Sir!" The trooper walking in front of Sephiroth suddenly stopped, and saluted the black-haired man standing in the lobby. The man, dressed in purple clothing, was surrounded by three others who looked like Shin-Ra's engineers.

"Reilly!" Zack's expression brightened up at the sight of the lower class SOLDIER. "What did they say!?" He asked anxiously.

"Uh, they said we'll have to wait 30 minutes, give or take." Reilly answered his unit leader.

"30 minutes? Damn." Zack snorted in disappointment. Suddenly his gaze fell upon Sephiroth, who was standing some distance away, in a shadowy corner. "Huh?" At first Zack only stared in shock at the man who had worked as his boss on more than one occasion.

"Zack.." Sephiroth greeted the black-haired man with a nod of his head.

"General. You were assigned on this too, huh?" Zack quickly recovered from the initial shock, and signaled for the Shin-Ra employees surrounding him to leave. The engineers quickly made their way out through the back door closeby.

When the door's lock mechanism clicked shut, Sephiroth returned his eyes on Zack. "Yes.. I'm to take command of your team, find the persons responsible for this attack and.. deal with them accordingly." He explained.

"I see." Zack replied thoughtfully, glancing at Reilly who had sat down on a red office chair to rest his feet.

"I gather you were unable to apprehend the suspects?" Sephiroth asked, moving out of his corner and towards the computers and heavy machinery that edged the lobby. Green and red lights flickered in their control panels, and various textbooks and manuals lay abandoned on shelves scattered around the room.

"No.. Sir. They managed to escape on the eight o'clock train to the slums." Zack shook his head, a hint of irritation in his eyes. As he had finished speaking, the fluorescent lights that illuminated the building quivered as if about to go off.

After a moments anxious waiting, Sephiroth collected his thoughts. "And this group you saw.. They appeared to be members of the AVALANCHE?" He asked Zack.

"Well.. Yes Sir. Who else would do something like this?" The black-haired man seemed bewildered, and surprised by Sephiroth's question.

"Who else indeed.." Sephiroth muttered to himself. Something about this attack didn't fit his image of AVALANCHE, but he chose not to voice his doubts. "Well, the fact that they took a train heading for the slums certainly supports the theory AVALANCHE has their headquarters under the plate." Sephiroth spoke up again.

"I agree.. But nobody knows where it is, exactly. I mean.. There are eight sectors down there aswell. That's a lot of ground to cover, with this little information." Zack cleared his throat.

"We'll find them." Sephiroth said confidently, pausing to look out of a small window above one of the control panels. A view of sector 3's market was revealed through the thick glass. He could see a small crowd standing around there, staring at the destroyed reactor. Some people shook their heads, some pointed at the dome with their hands. All of them wore similar, numb expressions though. Most of them were also huddled together, seeking comfort from each others' presence. Weaklings, Sephiroth frowned bitterly.

"Do you want to search the ruins now? I'm sure it won't take much longer for the firefighters to put out the last fires." Zack asked.

Sephiroth turned his back at the window, and contemplated his answer. "I don't expect to find much in the dark. It's best to wait until sunrise. We'll reconvene here tomorrow at 0800 hours, to discuss our next course of action." He ordered.

"Yes Sir! I'll inform the others." Reilly stood up from his chair, leaving it spinning slowly. The blue-uniformed man saluted both his superior officers, before running back the corridor to the courtyard.

"You finish up around here, and do alert me should you spot anything out of the ordinary." Sephiroth turned to face Zack.

"Of course." The man nodded, and watched uneasily as Sephiroth began retracing his steps out of the reactor.

"Hey Sephiroth?" Zack suddenly spoke up, stopping Sephiroth in mid-stride.

"Yes?" He turned around, and stared curiously at the First-Class SOLDIER behind him.

"We're having this party on friday.. Nearly everyone's coming, so.. If you'd like to join us, you're welcome." Zack grinned sheepishly, and handed Sephiroth an invitation.

He glanced at the pale blue card, on which the name 'Club Piranha' was written along with the the date and time of the party. "Oh. Thank you." Sephiroth finally said, a trace of emotion passing over his inexpressive face.

"So maybe I'll see you there?" Zack inquired.

"Maybe.." Sephiroth muttered, not sounding particularly interested.

"Well, goodnight Sir." Zack said, in a voice that vaguely resembled concearn.

Sephiroth wanted to laugh bitterly at him, to mock the man's choise of words. Yet his expression remained neutral as he turned around to walk back to his apartment. "Goodnight." Sephiroth answered Zack over his shoulder, and began pacing further away from him, and the smoking remains of the reactor.

* * * * *

"Gosh, I'm beat." Aeris heaved a sigh, as she collapsed on top of a sofa.

She had taken a quick shower and changed her clothing after getting caught in the rain on Midgar's upper level. Because of Midgar's plate it never rained in the slums, so sometimes Aeris forgot there existed a thing called weather. Now she was just glad to be back in the warmth of her home. The house was a small, two-storey building at sector 5's slums. The first floor consisted of the living room, kitchen and the large broom closet located under the stairs that led to the second floor. Up there were their two bedrooms and a bathroom.

"How was work?" Elmyra asked from the kitchen. She was washing the dishes from supper, and the the happy clatter of porcelain could be heard all the way to the living room where Aeris was sitting in.

"Peachy." She frowned, "I met Zack."

The sounds of dish-washing seized for a moment, and Elmyra appeared from the kitchen. She stood in the doorway, wiping her hands with a blue-white checked cloth. "Oh? Shouldn't he still be at work?" She asked, and undid the strings of her white apron, that had been tied to a bow behind her back.

"Yeah, he was. We kinda bumped into each other." Aeris explained, grinning sheepishly over the back of the cream coloured, floral-patterned couch.

"So you two.. talked?" Elmyra asked, a bit awkward expression on her face.

"Mom, you're prying." Aeris smiled warmly, "And yes, usually when meeting one's boyfriend some words are exchanged."

"Unless you really, really like your boyfriend." Aeris added quickly, a distant look in her eyes. An image of herself smothering Zack with kisses invaded her mind, until she shrugged off the thought. Sometimes she suspected that such fiery passion existed only in the cheesy romance novels she read. In a minute, a deep red blush spread over her cheeks.

"Did I just say that out loud?" She grinned, noticing a smile on Elmyra's face too.

"Good. I mean, that you talked. I had the feeling you had some.. issues to go through." Elmyra's happy expression soon changed into a concearned one.

"Issues? We have no issues. We're issue-free." Aeris smiled carefreely, but turned her back at Elmyra nonetheless.

"Sweetheart.." Elmyra's voice turned to a motherly tone. She crossed the distance to the couch, and sat down next to Aeris. "Is something wrong? You know you can tell me anything." Elmyra asked, grabbing a hold of Aeris' fingers.

"Nothing's wrong, I just.." Aeris began, glancing at her adopted mother. "Zack's been talking.. about marriage." She continued in a low voice, as though telling a deep dark secret.

"Really?" Elmyra's expression brightened up.

Aeris just looked at the woman next to her a while. Her soft green eyes had a glimmer of light in them, and her lips were drawn to a hearty smile. Of course she'd want her to marry Zack. Zack was perfect, everything Aeris had ever wanted. And yet.. Why did she feel so trapped in their relationship? "Don't get too excited, mom, he hasn't even proposed to me yet." Aeris squeezed Elmyra's hand gently.

"But you think he will?" Elmyra's voice was hopeful. She was most likely already looking forward to getting a grandchild or two, Aeris mused. Gosh children, she thought, I don't feel like I'm ready for those. Aeris had lived her entire life in Midgar, and she had hoped to see the world a little before settling down. A part of her didn't want to end up like her adopted mother, but she'd never admit it to Elmyra.

"Yeah." Aeris nodded, "And I really don't know what my answer will be."

Elmyra fell quiet, and the ticking of their old grandfather clock sounded unusually loud in the silence that hung in the air. "You love Zack, don't you?" Elmyra finally asked.

Aeris blinked, this was the question she had dreaded her adopted mother would ask. "Yeah. I mean, sure. Of course." She nodded, perhaps a bit too eagerly. Her words returned Elmyra's smile though.

"I know what this is about.." She changed her position a little on the couch, so that she was facing Aeris.

"You do?" Aeris asked, puzzled. How could Elmyra know, when she didn't understand it herself?

"It's perfectly natural to be frightened. Marriage is a big step, for the both of you. I remember what a nerve wreck I was before my wedding." Elmyra let out a fit of laughter, and a warm glow lit to her eyes. Aeris bit her lip, recognizing that look. Elmyra was lost in the memories of her husband; a man who had passed away in the war against Wutai. "But really dear.. I'm sure Zack will make you very happy." Elmyra assured Aeris.

"Yeah mom.. I'm sure he will." She smiled weakly in return.

Elmyra soon returned to the kitchen to finish her dish-washing, and Aeris was left alone in the living room again. "So is he coming to see you tonight?" Elmyra's asked from the kitchen.

"Oh Zack? Yeah. He said he would come by later tonight." Aeris answered, and leaned towards the wooden living room table. She picked up a yellow flower from the jade-green vase rested at the middle of the table, and twirled the flower around her fingers. "Mom?" She suddenly called out, her gaze locked to the yellow petals of the flower.

"Yes dear?" Elmyra asked, while placing plates and glasses into the kitchen cupboards.

"What do you know about the SOLDIER General?" Aeris asked, and immediatly heard a plate shatter on the floor. "Mom?" Aeris turned her head, and looked in the direction of the kitchen.

"Oh dear. I just.. I dropped a plate." Elmyra muttered to herself, and kneeled down to collect the pieces of broken porcelain.

"Mom?" Aeris asked again, waiting for Elmyra to answer her question.

"Y-you mean.. Sephiroth?" Elmyra's voice trembled slightly, as she returned to the living room.

"Yeah." Aeris furrowed her brow, and wondered why the older woman was behaving so oddly.

"W-why would you.." Elmyra began, silencing herself. "What brought this on?" She reframed her question.

"Nothing." Aeris bit her lip, concentrating her eyes on the flower in her hands again. "I just met him. Today." She explained awkwardly.

"You met.. Sephiroth?" Elmyra's voice was disbelieving.

"Yeah. And I just.. I don't know. Forget it." Aeris sighed, and bowed her head down a little. She never noticed the concearned look her adopted mother shot in her direction.

* * * * *

"Here's yer goddamn money." Barret Wallace tossed a pouch filled with gil to the feet of a man standing in the doorway to 'Tifa's 7th Heaven'. The bar was a mid-sized, wooden building, located at the seventh sector of Midgar's slums. It was a fairly popular hang-out during the weekends, but on the weekdays there were hardly any customers at all.

"Only 3000 gil?" The man said complacently after picking up his fee, "Next time, I want 5000."

Barret's face turned red with anger. "Ya ain't gettin' any special favours juz 'cos ya work for them Shin-Ra vermin!" He raised his voice, and took a step closer to the blue-uniformed man.

"Without me, you would've gotten yourselves caught tonight!" The man pushed Barret back, and removed his blue helmet.

"Cloud.." A young woman spoke up from behind the bar-table. She lifted a part of table to circle around it, and stepped between the two men. "We are thankful for what you did tonight. I know you put yourself in danger everytime you help us." The woman smiled, facing the blonde SOLDIER.

"Tifa, we can't afford to pay 'im 5000 gil!" Barret interrupted, "I've got Marlene's education to think about!" He added in a hushed voice.

"It's OK.." Tifa told him, and turned to Cloud again. "How about 4000?" She asked, and after a moments consideration, Cloud nodded in agreement.

"Man.." Barret groaned, and walked over to the elevator, they'd cleverly disguised as a pinball machine. Flicking a switch hidden behind the machine, the leader of AVALANCHE slowly decended to the secret headquarters located below the bar.

"We really need his help." Tifa told Barret sheepishly, just before his tall form disappeared under the floor level. 

"Ya keep tellin' yerself dat. We fer doin' juz fine without 'im." Barret snorted in contempt, leaving Tifa and Cloud standing alone in the doorway.

"Barret's just being.. Barret." Tifa grinned, apologizing for her colleagues behaviour. "Do you want to come down? We're having a meeting soon." She asked as the pinball machine returned back up.

"Nah. They'll start asking too many questions if I don't return to the quarters soon." Cloud shook his blond, spiky-haired head.

"Oh. Alright then." Tifa's gaze sunk a little. She was tracing small circles on the floorboards with the tips of her shoes.

"General Sephiroth's been assigned to the command of our team.. He's pretty determined to destroy AVALANCHE. So I suggest you don't do anything rash anytime soon. Lay low for a while, OK?" Cloud suggested in a slightly worried tone.

"OK. I'll tell them that." Tifa smiled, flicking back her long dark brown hair.

"Good. I'll.. be leaving now. See you soon." Cloud turned to leave, after flashing a brief smile at Tifa.

"Cloud?" She suddenly called after him.

"Yeah?" Cloud glanced at her over his shoulder, and noticed she followed him out of the bar, pressing the door shut behind her.

"We all have our reasons for hating Shin-Ra, but.. What's your excuse? Do you really do this just because of the money?" Tifa asked, standing under the light cast by a streetlamp. The air was chilly but fresh, and Tifa inhaled it deeply. "What a beautiful night." She whispered with her eyes closed.

"I guess." Cloud said nonchalantly. "But you know, with my SOLDIER salaries, I need the money." He continued.

"Oh. So you do help us just for the money then." Tifa's eyes held a very sad gaze for a moment.

"Tifa.." Cloud swallowed hard, trying to think of something to say. "I never forgot.. about the promise. If that's what you ask."

"Really?" Tifa chirped, "I mean, I'm glad." She corrected herself, and brushed a whisp of mahogany brown hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, well.. I'd better go now. Bye.." Cloud muttered, and left Tifa standing alone on the porch of the bar.

"Bye." Tifa whispered, but didn't return back inside until Cloud had walked too far to be seen.

* * *

BTW, I'm sure you noticed I had to come up with a last name for Zack.. I wasn't thrilled to do that, but it was necessary in this one. Well, not much more to say about this chapter. The really good ones are still ahead. ^_^


End file.
